The expression one volunteer is worth ten pressed men comes from the 18th century when Royal Navy recruitment was a brutal business. There are no longer pressed men but plenty of volunteers. In fact, the waterways benefit from the labour and know-how of thousands of volunteers, a growing army which, come rain or shine, turns out to improve and maintain the network.A recent addition is the Saltaire Towpath Taskforce, established to enhance the Leeds & Liverpool canal.The green-fingered gang started with a large planting project which, as the CRT's Nick Stead explained, will benefit wildlife, locals and visitors.
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